Buried Emotions
by Master of all Perverts
Summary: Collection of one shots revolving around YuYuXInu characters. Read and Enjoy. Rated M just incase I feel like writing something a little racey. ;
1. Chapter 1

**All right, everyone, just so you know this will be a collection of one shots that revolve around Inuyasha and Yuyuhakusho X-overs. At the top of every page I will list the main characters, so that should help. Thanks for reading, and please review! Constructive criticism is welcomed!**

**KagomeXHiei**

_I don't think that passenger seat  
Has ever looked this good to me  
He tells me about his night  
And I count the colors in his eyes  
_

Kagome sighed, looking out of the train's window to watch the scenery flash by. She had tried so very hard to avoid the fire demon that was no doubt looking at her with curiosity, but it seemed the gods had something against her. Ever since he and his three teammates had rescued her from a rogue demon while she had been out shopping for supplies, at least one of them had been guarding her while she was in this time.

It hadn't taken her long to take an interest in the crimson eyed male sitting next to her, but at first it had only been curiosity. His features told her he was a fire demon, but his aura was deferent then the ones she had met before. It was thicker and darker even then Sesshoumaru's, but was not so evil to be Naraku's. Still, there was something that was off in his aura, as if he was a mixture between two different elementals. Inuyasha had once explained to her that if two elements were to mix together, it was a one in a million chance that the offspring would survive. Was it possible that this demon was that one in a million?

Then, as Yusuke, Kurama, and Kuwabara had to continue with their schooling, Hiei had become her main bodyguard. Kagome, used to the cold indifference that many demons possessed when it came to humans, remained on her best behavior when he was around. If she was kind enough, even he had to come around sooner or later. That did not stop her from bickering with him when he called her 'foolish onna'. In fact, it had become almost a game between them to see who would crack first.

She could still remember the day that she finally realized that she was in love with the feisty demon. Hiei had been waiting just outside the well doors, as he seemed to always know when she was returning, his arms crossed over his chest with his characteristic frown on his face. For some reason her heart had skipped a beat, and her stomach fluttered in a way she had felt only once before with Inuyasha. The fire demon had then demanded why her face was turning red, and Kagome had wished nothing more than to have another rosary set to wrap around his neck.

It had taken a lot of effort to hide her growing affections from the fire demon, though it helped that he didn't seem to know anything about silly ningen females. Once she had tackled him in a hug, and all he had done was glare down at her and order her never to do something so foolish again. Kagome had agreed for once, more than happy to get as far away from him as her face yet again turned an amusing shade of red.

"Hn. What's wrong with you now?" Hiei demanded, watching her distant face with a frown. Ever since a few months ago the woman had become stranger and stranger, turning red in the face and stuttering like a child. It was puzzling to say the least, but he was determined not to get involved.

" … Nothing," she murmured, feeling the tips of her ears become blazing hot. Even liking Inuyasha had not been this embarrassing; she had never stuttered in front of him, never blushed or got nervous. Why was this so much different? "I'm just… tired, is all."

Hiei snorted at that, but let it go non-the less. He could find out later from the fox if he had to. The woman, though she did not chase after him like most females, found his company enjoyable and often told him her fears and anxieties. Personally the fire demon found no use for a confidant, though he supposed it helped the woman next to him. He had already discovered what she was like if she bottled up her emotions, and did not wish to experience it again. Her cat had still not managed to grow back its hair from the last instance.

"Tell me again why we're going on this farce of a trip?" he demanded. He had no idea why he continued speaking to the girl, when normally such prolonged conversations irritated him to no end. With her, however, he found the experience rather amusing.

"Since Koenma doesn't want me to go with the other kids in my grade for the school trip, you're my chaperone for a week. This way I can still go on vacation with them, but I'll still be 'safe from other imbeciles', as he put it," letting out another sigh. Was being her bodyguard really that horrible? Sure she wasn't that much to look at, and she could be a terrible bore sometimes, but she did have some good qualities, didn't she?

_"Great, now he has me questioning myself,"_ she thought darkly. She hated these thoughts that plagued her when she fell in love. Always second guessing herself and thinking about her looks and they way she acted around him.

"Hn," the fire demon snorted, crossing his arms over his chest. Kagome had to bit her lip to stop herself from squealing at the sight. What was it about the way he held himself that made her want to act like a senseless fan girl? "So long as you realize that I am _not_ going to mingle with your ningen friends that find it a necessity to squawk like hens."

"They're not that bad," Kagome giggled, losing her fight against smiling. His smart ass little comments always seemed to make her laugh. At his knowing look, she let out another giggle. "All right, maybe they're a little talkative."

"So long as they do not try to pass that ningen boy off on you again," he grumbled, looking out of the train windows as well. He had noticed how the boy, Hojo, was constantly tripping over his own feet trying to get the miko to notice him. It had been amusing at first, but as time wore on the fire demon found that it was grating under his skin more and more. Did her friends not understand that she did not want the boy? He was barely able to prevent himself from getting injured, how did he expect to protect a legendary priestess from the dangers that demons posed.

"Hojo's a nice guy," she protested. "Just… a little uncoordinated."

"Hn."

"He's sweet. One time, he brought me a rose for my birthday. Although, he did slip in the snow and get a bloody nose right after that…" she murmured thoughtfully. "I don't know how the snow around him suddenly melted so much that he slipped…"

Hiei couldn't help but smirk at that. He did know about that incident. After the ningen boy had given her the rose, it was obvious he had been planning to kiss the miko. So, he had raised the temperature around the idiot's feet, and before he could even lean down the fool had fallen flat on his face. What a wonderful day that had been.

The intercom went off just then, announcing their arrival at their destination. "Hn. Let's get this over with." Sighing, Kagome grabbed her carryon bag, following the fire demon out of the train.

* * *

_He'll never fall in love  
He swears, as he runs his fingers through his hair  
I'm laughing 'cause I hope he's wrong  
And I don't think it ever crossed his mind  
He tells a joke, I fake a smile  
That I know all his favorite songs  
_

Kagome took a deep breath of the fresh air blowing against her face. It was rare in the modern world to find a place that wasn't contaminated by the scent of mankind. She was standing higher up on the slopes of a mountain, just low enough that she wouldn't need a coat, and high enough to escape the hustle and bustle of the city.

Perched in a tree not ten feet away from her was the fire demon, his crimson eyes no doubt following her every move. For once, she just wished he would stop following her around for half an hour. That way, she could scream and kick all the trees and other wildlife she wanted. It was so frustrating; constantly being around someone you loved, without him knowing exactly what it was that was making you act like a crazed child. She had almost burst out crying the other day when she crashed onto her bed in the hotel, but withheld the desire because she knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that he was watching her. The only reason she didn't just give into the urge was because she knew how much he valued control. Knew how much he valued strength.

And now, even though she knew she had her mental barriers up, she was worried that he might still be able to catch any stray thoughts of hers, so she was stuck feeling miserable. It was even worse now that her friends had found out who the mysterious 'chaperone' of hers was. As soon as they had seen the apparition, they had dragged her into the restroom and demanded she give them the 'juicy details'.

"Come ON Kagome," Eri had huffed. "There's no WAY he's just a good friend of your moms. He's hot!" Kagome had immediately blushed and denied the accusation, refusing to answer any more questions on the subject. Her friends had then decided to try and make her life miserable by 'suggesting' that she and Hiei go on a date.

And here she was, sitting alone but not alone, on a hill leading up farther up the mountain. No doubt her friends were already planning some devious plot to get them together, and once Hiei realized what was really going on, he'd probably laugh right in their face. Or her own. She was so absorbed in her thoughts that Kagome had not realized that the fire demon had come down from his resting spot, sitting down next to her with his knees crossed underneath him.

"Hn. That is the fourth time you've sighed in half an hour," he grunted, raising an eyebrow as she jumped. It was surprising the miko could be so easily scared, considering the legends spoke of her great and powerful abilities. "What is wrong?"

"No…nothing, Hiei," she stammered, looking out at the landscape apprehensively. She really, really hoped he didn't notice the blush spreading across her face.

"Now you're turning red," the fire demon growled, reaching out a hand to touch her forehead. Her face heated up even more at the contact, and he couldn't help but frown. "You have no fever. What is wrong, onna?"

"I told you, it's nothing," she grumbled. At his skeptical glare, Kagome sighed and scooted farther away from him. It did not help that he was sitting so close to her. "You wouldn't care anyway…"

"Hn. I am here to baby sit you," he said almost smugly. He knew how much the expression annoyed her. "Now, tell me what is bothering you."

"I…" the miko hesitated. He was so oblivious, what could it hurt to tell him the truth? Without revealing the identity of her crush, that is. "I really… really like, this, uh, guy… and he… well… it doesn't seem like he knows…"

Hiei snorted. It annoyed him that he had not noticed that development, and felt something in his stomach clench. Shaking off the strange feeling, he replied: "That is what this is about? Why don't you just go give the man chocolates like Kurama's admirers do?"

"He… I don't think he likes me…" she murmured. "He… doesn't notice when I… flirt, or when I act nice to him… he's really smart, but apparently not when it comes to noticing a females affection."

"It's a wonder you humans have survived this long, with the way you court one another," he scowled. The woman next to him let out another sigh, nervously tugging on a strand of her hair.

"Most people don't find relationships quite as troublesome as me," Kagome muttered almost bitterly. It really wasn't her fault she seemed to fall for the men that were totally oblivious, or the ones that were already involved with someone else. And it wasn't her fault that she seemed attracted to the dark, silent types that had no idea what affection was, let alone show their emotions. Looking at him out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't help it as another sigh slid past her lips.

"Stop with that infernal racket, onna," he growled, folding his arms over his chest in annoyance. "As amusing as it is to watch you muddle through your thoughts, that noise will eventually drive even a menacing demon such as myself to become insane."

"'A menacing demon such as myself'?" Kagome questioned, raising an e eyebrow at the comment. "You're joking, right?" At his vicious glare, the miko couldn't help but giggle. "Just remember, Hiei, I'm up against an 's' class demon in the past."

Hiei frowned at that. He had heard of the hanyou, Naraku, and of his evil search for the shikon shards in senjoku jidai. He had also learned of the miko's strange powers, and how she tended to blush at the compliments people gave her about them. Once she had even confided in him, telling him that she almost wished she had not been gifted with the priestess, Kikyou's, powers. She did not wish to be remembered as the reincarnation of the cold woman, but rather as what she truly was.

The fire demon had even met Inuyasha, her protector on the other side. At their first meeting, he had immediately taken a large disliking to the inu. The mutt found it necessary to scream his lungs off at the smaller woman, and for the life of him, Hiei had no idea how she managed to take it in stride. He had, however, liked the way she got angry and made the inu fall face first into the ground when he called her incompetent. Served him right.

"Hn. Is that fool even able to protect you?" he questioned, knowing that she would follow his line of questioning. She did not seem to notice it, but he talked much more around her then he would like to admit. "What with that pathetic excuse for swordsman ship, it's a wonder you've even survived this long."

"Inuyasha's tried very hard to protect me," Kagome defended, sending him a glare. "He's fought for his strength, against all odds. I know his skills are crude, but at least he gets the job done. That's all that matters, right?"

Kagome bit her lip as soon as the words came out of her mouth. She had always held a doubt, deep inside; that the only reason Hiei even tolerated her was because he was obligated to watch over her. That he didn't really care about her at all. Hopefully, the fire demon would overlook the underlying meaning in that sentence.

Unfortunately for her, Hiei did have an inkling as to what she was referring to. Did she care whether or not he stayed with her because of his job? Knowing her, she would feel horrible that he had to stay around her because he was forced to. Did she… want him to stay? Stay because she wanted him to?

"Hn. A man should always take care of the woman he has claimed responsibility for," he grunted. "If he can barely look after himself, how can he expect to protect a miko with priceless jewel shards hanging around her neck?"

Kagome paused, her blue eyes looking into his thoughtfully. "I do not _like _being a burden to others," she murmured, holding his gaze easily enough. She had found out early on that a lot of people found it a very daunting task to look the apparition in the eyes. Kurama had told her that she was the first human to be able to hold his gaze that long, besides Kuwabara. "I just… can't seem to get strong enough."

"And that is why you have me," the fire demon stated almost smugly. "To come save your ass when a demon gets past your senses."

"Hey!"

* * *

_And I could tell you  
His favorite color's green  
He loves to argue  
Born on the seventeenth  
His sister's beautiful  
He has his father's eyes  
And if you ask me if I love him  
I'd lie_

The next day Kagome went with her friends to visit the Tajukai zoo, at every moment aware of the demon that followed her among the shadows. Luckily her friends did not comment on their supposed relationship, instead preferring to squeal at the cute animals they saw. Eventually she had wandered slightly away from her friends and couldn't help but gush over a small baby fox that had wandered out of its hole, reminded of Shippo instantly. "Hn. You _like _that foul smelling creature?" a voice rumbled incredulously behind her.

The miko let out an undignified squeak, spinning around as she tried in vain to cover her mouth. "Hiei!" she exclaimed, blushing at his amused glance. She tried very hard to ignore the looks she was receiving from the people nearby, but found her ears turning red at their continued interest. "Are you trying to scare me to death?"

"That would be an added bonus," the apparition chuckled, leaning against the cage walls casually. "I see no reason as to why I cannot visit the ningen woman I am babysitting."

"I'm not complaining about your company, if that's what your insinuating," Kagome grumbled, turning to look at the fox again. "I'm complaining about your sneak tactics. Is it really necessary to come up behind me with your aura masked?"

"Hn. Consider it your training, miko," he grunted, smirking at her turned back. "You need to beef up you're powers if you're ever to protect yourself from rogue demons." His eyes slid to the left, and moments later Kagome felt a pair of arms wrap around her, causing the air in her lungs to escape with a loud rush.

"Kagome chaaaaaaaan!" Yuka grinned, latching onto her friend's arms. "You didn't tell us Hiei kun was coming today!"

"Anoo," the Higurashi mumbled, blushing as Eri lifted her eyebrows suggestively. If they kept this up, Hiei might just figure out what they were trying to do, and then he'd laugh at their pathetic attempts to make him notice the ordinary miko. "Mama would feel more comfortable if Hiei san came with me…"

"Why are you chaperoning Kagome, Hiei kun?" Eri questioned, a frown marring her face. "Normally Ms. Higurashi isn't so concerned… this is a school trip, after all."

"I was sent to make sure she does not see that two timing boyfriend of hers," Hiei snorted, smirking at the incredulous look on Kagome's face. "Her mother no longer approves of him."

"Well it's about time," Ayumi huffed, crossing her arms over her chest. "It was so infuriating, hearing about how he kept running off with that Kikyou girl while he was seeing Kagome!"

"But…! Inuyasha couldn't help it!" Kagome stuttered. "He… he really did…. love her, and when she moved back here, he couldn't help himself!"

"Well the least he could do was tell you he was going to stay with _her_, instead of saying he wanted both of you!" Yuka exclaimed. "I still have no idea how you could stand it, Kagome!"

"Hiei kun, make sure you take good care of Kagome chan," Eri grinned; ignoring the way said girl was pinching her arm.

The fire demon raised an eyebrow at the girls' strange grins. Could they possibly be trying…? No, there was no way they were trying to, as the detective would say, 'hook them up'. "Hn. I will not allow her to come to harm," he grunted, his eyes taking in the blush growing on his ward's face. Did that onna really find it so embarrassing to be protected by him?

Eri looked between at the black clad man, to her high school friend, a slow, knowing smile growing on her face. Kagome didn't seem to notice it, but it seemed the short, red-eyed man liked her just as much as she liked him. It did not seem that either one of them realized the other's affection. _"Well, we'll just have to fix that!" _

"Well, Hiei kun," Eri continued, winking at Yuka and Ayumi. "Would you mind staying with Kagome for a while? We're going to go to the gift shop, and I'm sure Kagome wants to watch the baby fox a while longer."

"I can go with…"

"No, Kagome," Yuka chimed in, ignoring the strange look she was receiving for the only man in their group. "You and Hiei can stay here for a little while and spend some time together." Before Kagome could stutter out another retort, the three girls had already scrambled away towards the gift shop.

"What is with them?" Kagome grumbled, turning towards the cage again. The little fox was looking straight at them; it's blue eyes shining in the warm sunlight. Kagome couldn't help but let out another giggle, wanting nothing more than to pick up the cub and cuddle him to her chest.

"Hn. What is with you ningen females and strange looking animals?" Hiei questioned, looking at the fur-ball curiously. The animal had a large head and paws, with owlish eyes that blinked at the world stupidly, and its ears were much too large for its head. In his opinion, the puffball had nothing 'cute' about it. "How is that thing 'cute'?"

"Look at him!" Kagome gushed, her eyes sparkling in the light. "He reminds me so much of Shippo!"

"That kitsune cub?" the fire demon questioned. "The one you're taking care of?"

"That's my Shippo," she nodded, smiling at the creature before them. It wagged its bushy tail at them; its body squatting to the ground in a mock attack position. "He's got the same brown-red hair, and has bright blue eyes just like the real ones."

"Hn. Damn kitsune are taking over the world," he grunted, ignoring her giggle at his words. Just the other day he had had to take time from his relaxing spot on the Goshinboku to deal with a kitsune who had found the trail of the shikon. It had taken him perhaps an hour to track down the annoying pest, then another hour to actually kill him. The damn thing even had the audacity to change his form to look similar to the miko he was guarding; taunting him with the face of the woman he had come to care for. Needless to say, the fire demon had made quick work of the kitsune.

"Well, they are mischievous," the girl, agreed, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. He looked rather uncomfortable in this crowd of ningen, and she could only guess as to why he was even bothering to come out in the open in the first place. "But they're rather beautiful creatures, aren't they?"

"Hn."

Kagome ignored his grunt, unsure whether he was through with the conversation altogether or he was just disagreeing. "Have you ever been to the zoo, Hiei?" she questioned, perking her head up to look at the demon in curiosity. She had never really thought about it, but with as aloof as the fire demon was, it was entirely possible he had never gone to one.

"As if I would waste my time going to this ningen farce," he grunted irritably. Really, why would she even have to ask? Even that onna, as foolish and unawares she could be sometimes, had to have noticed how he kept to himself. He wouldn't be caught dead dealing with humans, unless he was forced to because of his Reikai sentence.

"You haven't?" the girl exclaimed, her eyes widening. At the incredulous look on her face, Hiei frowned at her.

"Keep your face in that position too long, onna, and it'll freeze like that," he growled. A smirk crossed his face at the twitch that appeared on her eyebrow, feeling a strange delight in annoying her.

"I think I'll ignore that," she murmured, glaring at him lightly. "And since this is your first time going to a zoo, we need to make this the best visit ever!"

Hiei frowned at that. "Onna, I do not need you dragging me around this filthy smelling park, gushing over all the animals."

Just then her friends returned, grins on their faces as they showed off the small stuffed animals they had bought as souvenirs. " So, what have you guys been talking about?" Eri questioned, raising her eyebrows as she noticed how they had moved closer to one another since she had left them. Oh, they didn't seem to notice what they were unconsciously doing, but she would fix that soon enough.

" Hiei's never been to a zoo!" Kagome blurted, fidgeting under his intense glare as soon as the words left his mouth. The other girls looked at the apparition in astonishment, their eyes widening in horror.

" Never… been to a… zoo?" Yuka squeaked, putting a hand over her heart. " Oh, Hiei kun! You must be such a deprived person, having never been to a zoo!" Ayumi nodded her agreement, preferring to keep most of the glaring he was giving away from herself. To be honest, she found the man fairly frightening.

" Come on, Hiei kun!" Eri suggested, sending Kagome a sharp look. At the look, Kagome latched onto his arm, dragging him after the small group of girls. " We've just gotta make this the best zoo memory ever!"

Growling low in his throat, Hiei glared at the woman holding onto his arm, her body shaking with the giggles coursing through it. " Hn. You're getting it later, onna," he snorted.

"Do your worst," she grinned up at him, her eyes sparkling.

* * *

_He looks around the room_

_Innocently overlooks the truth_

_Shouldn't a light go on_

_Doesn't he know that I've had him memorized for so long_

_And he sees everything black and white_

_Never let nobody see him cry_

_I don't let nobody see me wishin' he was mine  
_

The miko let out a contented sigh as she sank into the warm, mineral water, the liquid lapping at her neck. It had been a long day, dragging the fire demon unwillingly through the throng of ningens in the infamous Ueno zoo, and then later shopping in the mall with her friends until it became dark. All in all, she was more than ready to crawl into bed and fall asleep, but had decided that a nice soak in the hot springs would be exactly what her sore legs needed. _"Ah… just like the hot springs in the past… if only Sango and Shippo were here… at least then I'd have someone to talk to…" _She giggled at the thought. More than likely Shippo would have been flailing around the springs, rather than enjoying the relaxing water.

"What's so funny, miko?" his cool voice interrupted. Kagome let out a squeak, diving into the water and throwing her hands over her chest in a desperate attempt to cover herself. "He…hentai!" she hissed, glaring up at him even though the lower half of her face was covered in the murky white water. The fire apparition was perched against the rock wall that enclosed the women's hot springs, a smirk covering his face; that arrogant grin that always made her heart flutter and skip a beat. Kagome was just happy that the warm water gave her an excuse for her face to be red. "What are you doing here?"

"Hn. Babysitting," he grunted, his smile growing at her continued fidgeting. It wasn't as if he hadn't seen her naked before, since that one incident when the hanyou had dragged her out of the house in nothing but a skimpy towel, so he had no idea why she was reacting so shyly. He arrogantly strode over to the water's edge, sitting down with a grace she enviously wished she had.

"This is the _girls_ section," she murmured, narrowing her eyes at him even more. She hesitated before allowing her hand to poke out of the water, pointing towards the exit and jerking it towards the glowing neon red sign. "Now get out!"

"It's not as if I can see you," Hiei growled, turning his head to look up at the sky. The stars couldn't be seen from here because of the city's lights, but he decided to allow her a moment to compose herself from her embarrassment. "I'm not like that perverted houshi you associate with."

"_You wouldn't even look at me if you __were__ like Miroku…" _"I don't care! It's not proper for a man to be near a girl when she's bathing!" Kagome exclaimed, readjusting the towel that was sitting patiently atop her head. "Besides, what if someone comes out here and sees you?"

"I'd be able to escape long before any ningen came near here," he snorted, crossing his arms over his chest irritably. "I'm not as dense as some of your companions."

"I think you just like being able to make fun of all my 'companions'," she accused, letting lose a giggle when he glared back at her. She frowned when he suddenly stiffened, the Jagan glowing from behind its ward. "What is it? Is something nearby?" she demanded, letting her senses reach out. She felt nothing of importance, and looked at him in concern. "Hiei…?"

"Something has crossed the barrier," he grunted, his eyes clearing as he looked her dead in the eye. She could tell from the slight frown that tugged at the edge of his lips that this was serious. "Two youkai, of high levels."

"How high a level…?"

"…A class," he murmured, standing up fluidly. He let his eyes wander over what little of her form as he could see his face set in its emotionless mask. "Go inside and stay hidden. Do not leave, and mask as much of your ki as you possibly can."

"But Hiei…!" she argued, flinching as his eyes narrowed.

"You will not leave," he repeated, resting his hand on the hilt of his katana. His finger ran along the length of his sword, contemplating the strong aura's that were heading this way. Two males, from the feel of it, both with their youki hidden enough so that the apparition could not detect their species. "I will be back after I have dealt with these intruders."

Before she could say anything in protest the fire demon was gone, the only remnant of his presence being the wind that whipped at her hair. "…Be careful…" she whispered.

Kagome silently snuck up into the hotel, avoiding any life she saw on her way to the top floor. She could feel the two powerful youkai auras just to her right, and clenched her hand around her hamaya. _"I couldn't bring my bow, but at least I can do some damage with my arrows!"_ She briefly worried about how angry Hiei would be at her for deliberately disobeying his orders, before shaking it off.

A sound from behind the door made her pause, and she pressed her ear against the wood to better hear what was occurring. It sounded like someone was being thrown to the ground over and over, and the miko tightened her hand around the doorknob. The door slid open without a sound, allowing the small girl to easily slip inside. "Aah…! NO…!" Kagome walked faster towards the noise, her heart thumping wildly in her chest. The voice didn't sound like her fire demon, but there was always the possibility he was in dire trouble.

She reached an archway, and peeked into the room, her eyes widening at what she saw. Before she could scream, a hand clamped over her mouth, silencing her cry. **"What in the three worlds are you **_**doing**_** here?" **She hesitantly lowered her mental barriers, allowing his familiar presence to fill her mind.

"_Hiei…?"_

"**Who the hell else would it be?" **he demanded, leading her silently out of the apartment.

"_Where they…?"_

"**Yes onna, they were," **Hiei grunted, pulling her outside of the door. He grabbed her from behind the waist, speeding away to a distant rooftop before the two youkai would notice their presence.** "What else did you think those noises were?"**

She fidgeted in his hold, a red blush staining her face. " I thought… they were fighting…" she murmured. " I didn't… think they…were…lovers…" The fire demon couldn't help it. He fell to the ground, a chuckle rumbling deep in his chest. "Wh…what's so funny?"

"You're the only onna in the three worlds who would mistake two men fucking for two men fighting," he growled, an amused glint entering his eyes.

"It's not _my_ fault!" Kagome cried, her face staining red. "I'm not… not a big _pervert _like _you_!"

"I'm not the one fucking another male," the fire demon grunted, letting gout another chuckle as she let out an undignified squeak at his wording. As he calmed down from his uncharacteristic loss of control, a small frown appeared on his face. "Why did you come after I specifically instructed you _not_ to?" The miko fidgeted under his gaze, pulling at the hem of her skirt as she mumbled something too low for him to hear. "What was that, onna?"

"I thought you might need help," she murmured, glaring defiantly at the ground.

"We've been over this," Hiei growled, pulling himself to his feet. He strode angrily over to her, leaning down to look her in the eye. "I am an A class demon. You are an untrained priestess, who clearly cannot follow orders. There's no need to unnecessarily risk your life when I am perfectly able to protect you."

"…How am I supposed to help then?" Kagome demanded. As she threw her head up to look at him, the fire demon was surprised to see tears in her eyes. "You… you demons never let me do _anything_…I'm not just gonna sit back and watch you guys fight and get yourselves _killed_…!"

Before he knew what he was doing, the apparition had her chin held gently but firmly, forcing her to look up at him. "Hn. You are strong in other ways," he grumbled. "You do not need to play hero around me. Let me be the one to take care of you in this time…"

Kagome felt her lip tremble. Did he realize the way he made her feel? The ways his words made her knees go weak and make her mind spin? Wherever his skin touched hers, her body would burn and shiver.

She threw herself into his arms, clinging to his shirt as a small sob made its way out of her throat. It wasn't for the words he said; it was for the entire heart ache he made her feel. She cried for all the times he plagued her thoughts, all the times he seemed oblivious to her feelings. Why was it she always, _always, _fell in love with the most stubborn, foolish men? Couldn't she find a man-or demon- who noticed her attraction to him? Why couldn't she just be _happy?_

The fire demon was unsure of what to do. How had he somehow managed to say the wrong thing, _again? _He really had no idea why the onna was crying. So, after a moment he hesitantly held her to his body tightly, silently enjoying the small gesture. He had never been so close to the miko before, and found himself rubbing her back to calm her. For now, he was going to enjoy the time he had with her.

* * *

_I could tell you_

_His favorite color's green_

_He loves to argue_

_Born on the seventeenth_

_His sister's beautiful_

_He has his father's eyes_

_And if you ask me if I love him_

_I'd lie  
_

Eri knew something was up. She just _knew._ Both Kagome and Hiei were extremely quiet around one another, and she was surprised that her friend was keeping her distance from him. Her face would turn red now and then when she was looking at the black clad male-when she thought he wasn't looking- and then she would just shake her head and mutter before walking off.

After watching this spectacle for a few hours Eri managed to drag both her and Yuka far enough away to talk privately with them while Hiei gazed at a waterfall in the park. "_What _is going _on _between you two?" she huffed, placing her hands on her hips. The slightly shorter girl only fidgeted under her glare. "Come on Kagome. You've been staring at him and blushing all day now, and you two haven't said more than one sentence to each other!"

"It's… nothing," the miko stammered, her eyes swiveling around to look at said male. They were not far enough away to escape his demonic hearing, so she had to be careful with what she said.

"You do seem a tad awkward toward each other," Yuka nodded, taking up stance behind Eri. She had been wondering the same thing, but had been nervous of asking in the presence of the rather scary looking man. "You can tell us anything, Kagome."

"I… had a bit of a… a breakdown yesterday…" she murmured, blushing when she heard the fire demon snort in the distance. "It's just… slightly awkward, is all…"

"Well, what'd you do?" Eri blinked, tilting her head at the blue eyed girl. Was that really what was making them so nervous?

Kagome rubbed her arm self consciously, a blush growing on her face. How could she put this without him asking questions later? "Um… I… I started bawling, ok?" There. That should keep the apparition from becoming too curious. Hopefully. She crossed her fingers, just in case.

"About _what_?" they demanded at once, raising an eyebrow in unison. It seemed they were spending a bit too much time with one another.

The miko sighed in exasperation. Why couldn't they just drop the subject and leave her alone? "Just… nothing. I got really emotional for some reason." She added a shrug to add to the effect. Hey, it happened sometimes. Being a teenage miko who fights demons for weeks on end, only to come back to a butt load of homework had an excuse to become a little bit stressed out now and then.

"You don't just _bawl _for nothing," Eri scowled, placing her hands upon her hips. She was dancing around the truth, and they both knew it. It couldn't be that bad. "Come on Gome chan! Give us the details about your love life!"

"L…love life?" Kagome spluttered, feeling her face turn beet red. They were implying that she and Hiei were…! "No, no, NO! We aren't…! It's nothing like that!"

"Uh huh, sure it's not," she grinned. The human waggled a finger at her friend, a teasing glint in her eyes. "You would _never _stare at Hiei kun, or write his _name_ all over the inside of your _notebook_, or…"

"Shh!" the miko exclaimed, rushing to over her friend's mouth. Looking around, she sighed when the fire demon seemed to be ignorant of their conversation. "I do _not!_"

"You do too!" Eri cried, dodging her friend's assault. "You _like _him! Admit it!"

The apparition was watching them now, his head tilted slightly as he observed them chasing after one another. So, the onna had a crush, did she? It didn't matter to him, of course, just useful information. Possible blackmail, if it was needed. A small grin pulled at the edge of his lips as the miko let out a rather loud giggle. She was much prettier when she was smiling. Not that he cared, though.

He was simply here to watch over her, protect her from rogue demons, and, perhaps most important of all, make sure the shikon stayed within her hands. There was no room for affection between them, no matter how much he was drawn to her. No, he would never even hope to receive her attention in such a way that would cause her to become ridiculed or impure. He would stand to the side, ever watchful, but he would not interfere in her romantic life.

* * *

_He stands there, then walks away  
My God, if I could only say  
I'm holding every breath for you  
_

It took him a few days to come to a conclusion. He was becoming much too attached to the ningen onna. It came to a point that he could not forget daydreaming about the night she had cried in his arms, her body flushed against his own. His dreams were invaded by thoughts of all the sinful things he could do to her, the things he could teach her about love. Then whenever he was around her, his body would react to the thoughts that plagued him, and it was becoming harder and harder to hide his growing arousal towards her.

So, it was after much thinking that he decided: he was going to step down as her protector. The fox could take care of her just as well as he, if not better. This way he could cut contact between them, and he would not taint her pureness. It would be for the best, even if it did leave an ache in his chest just thinking about it.

He watched her as she interacted with her friends. Whenever she smiled, the room seemed to light up in brilliant light. Every ningen male in the area would marvel at her wherever she went, her happiness seeming to radiate throughout the area to warn them of her presence. The onna was drop dead gorgeous, and she had no idea how much she affected others; how she affected him.

The fire demon was not stupid; he had to admit that he was going to miss the overly bubbly girl. Her voice had always been able to relax him in ways no one else had, so much so that he could almost fall asleep to it. He would miss sitting on her bedroom window as she slept, watching her peaceful face as she dreamed. Hell, he'd miss arguing with the stubborn onna.

"Don't you wanna come swim, Hiei?" her innocent voice broke into his thoughts. She was perched on the edge of the pool, tying her hair up into a ponytail.

"…I do not like swimming," he grumbled, sending a glare to the water.

"That must be your fire blood in you," Kagome giggled, easing herself into the pool. The only reason the apparition was even there was because her friends had yet to arrive to the swimming area, and he had not liked the lustful looks the other males were sending toward her. "I've never seen you swim before. Do you know how?"

"Hn. Of course I know," he grumbled, rolling his eyes. "It's essential in tight situations, onna. If you want to lose an enemy, cross a few rivers and they'll lose track of your scent."

"Is that _all_ you think about?" the miko questioned with a huff, glaring up at him as she floated in the soothing water. "It's ok to have fun once and a while, Hiei. It's not all about survival here in ningenkai."

Hiei felt a smirk tug at the corner of his lips. "Hn. Fun…?" It took him mere seconds to yank off his shirt and dive into the pool. The girl squealed as he lifted her above the water, only to throw her in moments later. "Is that fun enough for you, onna?" he chuckled as she came spluttering to the surface. Kagome glared at him from between the strands of hair sticking to her scalp, a glint entering her eyes.

"You youkai think you're so full of surprises," she said sweetly. Too sweetly. It was too late when he finally noticed that she held something in her hand. The miko easily slid a beaded necklace around his neck, a grin on her face.

"What is this, onna?" he demanded, pulling at the shining object. He was surprised to find out that it would not come off.

"A subjugation necklace, silly," Kagome answered, playing with the string teasingly. "And the word of subjugation is… freeze!" The apparition narrowed his eyes and tried to move toward her, but found that his body was frozen in place. Luckily, he still had the use of his face, for the most part.

"Release this spell now, onna," he growled, trying to intimidate her with his glare. It failed miserably as the girl giggled and took a step back.

"Nuh uh," she exclaimed, shaking her head. "Not after that little stunt."

"So help me, when this wears off…!"

"Then I'll just say the word again," the miko grinned, placing her hands upon her hips. She looked him up and down, another giggle escaping her lips. "And I think I'll get my revenge while you're still frozen…" And with that said, the priestess pushed him over into the water. It took only a few more moments for the spell to wear off, and he pushed to the surface, shaking the water from his head.

"Onna…"

"Hey, that's funny," Kagome muttered, stepping up to him curiously. "You're hair went back to being all spiky when you shook it." She reached one hand up to touch his onyx spikes. "And it's dry! That's not fair!" The apparition just barely managed to keep his composure as the girl obliviously pressed her body against his in her attempt to play with his hair.

"That is not a play toy…" he growled eventually grabbing her hands to stop their prying.

"Kagome…?" The two friends blinked over at the two girls that had just entered the water. Eri and Yuka were looking at them with tilted head, and, in Eri's case, with a large grin. "What are you two doing?" The miko quickly took a step back from the demon, a large blush on her face. It was an awkward picture to come by, she realized. Hiei had been holding her hands above her head, and they had been standing rather close…

"Hiei dunked me under the water," she murmured, looking anywhere but at their faces. _Darn them and their perverseness…! _"I was _trying _to dunk him back, but he's like a freaking rock and won't cooperate…"

"Uh huh," Eri mumbled, raising an eyebrow at the girls growing blush. Whether they knew it or not, both her chaperone and her friend were falling for one another. Hard.

"Er, Hiei san, you're not wearing swim trunks…" Yuka stammered.

"What'd you do, just jump in?" the other girl questioned. "Moving rather quickly, aren't you?" Kagome sent her friends a rather intimidating glare, gritting her teeth when they both giggled in response. What did they think they were doing?

The fire demon waded over to the edge of the pool, lifting himself out with well practiced ease. "The onna needed a bit of a lesson," he said with a smirk, ignoring the immediate whispering that gushed out from the other two females. "She's much too cheeky for her own good." The miko glared up at him, cursing under her breath that she couldn't use the subjugation necklace lest her friends question it. Oh, he was going to get when they were alone later.

"Why don't you come down _here_ and say that to my face, you hot headed…!"

"I will meet you in your room by eleven," Hiei interrupted, smiling slightly when she glared at him. "I have something I need to speak with you about." Before the girl could utter a protest at his abrupt and rather rude orders, he was already inside the building.

"Ne, I wonder what he wants to talk to you about," Yuka mused, floating lazily on her back in the cool water.

"He is _so_ going to tell you!" Eri squealed, barely able to hide her excitement.

"Tell me what?" Kagome questioned, tilting her head in confusion. If anything, the hybrid would lecture her about disobeying his orders, or the thoughtlessness of traveling anywhere, even the pool, without some sort of weapon.

"That he _likes _you," the girl exclaimed, rolling her eyes as if she should know. "It's obvious! And the way he ran away like that after telling you he needed to talk? He's _so_ nervous!"

The miko slumped lower in the water, trying to cool off her rapidly heating face. It was preposterous. The fire demon she felt so strongly for, the one she couldn't shake from her mind had no reason to like a ningen woman with so little strength. There were surely many other stronger and much more beautiful demons out there that he would be perfectly happy to have a relationship with. He could get anyone he wanted; he was powerful, handsome, extremely protective and loyal to friends and family. There was no way someone as wonderful as him would fall for a clumsy, stuttering teenage girl.

* * *

Kagome slipped into her room late that night, exhausted after having splashed around with her two friends. A towel hung loosely around her shoulders, warming her from the night's chill breeze. "Hiei?" she whispered, her voice gliding through the air like water.

"Hn. Over here, miko." As her eyes adjusted to the dark, the girl could see him standing in front of the sliding door that led to the balcony, his back facing her. The door was wide open, allowing the cool air to play with the ends of his spiky locks.

"I have a name," the raven haired girl mumbled, more out of habit then annoyance. By now, she was becoming used to his monosyllable nicknames he had for friends. Standing next to him, she frowned at the rather emotionless look on his face. Now that they knew one another, the apparition allowed at least a flicker of emotion on his face. She hadn't seen him like this since the first week they'd met. "Hiei…?"

"I will be leaving soon," he said abruptly, harshly.

"Leaving…?" Kagome repeated, blinking up at him. "On another mission?"

"No," he growled lowly, turning his crimson eyes to look at the city sprawled before them. He did not want to see her face when he announced his departure. She would be angry, hurt even, that he would leave so suddenly. "Of my own choice."

"W…why?" the priestess stammered. She could feel her face heating up, tears pushing at the back of her eyelids. "Why are you leaving?"

"…I am a demon, onna," he stated, gritting his teeth in his frustration. He could smell her tears, and could just as easily imagine the look upon her face. The last thing he wanted was to make her unhappy, to make her look at him with such a hurt expression, but this had to be done for her own sake. "I do not… mix well with ningen's… nor do I prefer the noise and scent that follows them. I belong in makai, where my own kind dwells."

The girl felt a tear slip down her cheek. She was losing him. The man that she had secretly loved for over a year now was leaving her, and he didn't seem to realize her anguish. "Did I… did I do something to offend you?" Kagome questioned desperately. She reached out a hand to touch his arm, dropping it to her side when he only stepped farther away. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to do anything…!"

"You have done nothing to influence my decision," the fire demon murmured, cursing at himself for his own lies. He had to resist the urge to hold her in his arms, to make her stop crying. It drove him close to insanity to see her unhappy, especially since it was his own damn fault.

"But…! You can't leave!" she cried, shaking her head as if to deny his words. The dam had been broken now, as tears flowed freely down her cheeks. Why? Why did he want to leave? What had brought on this sudden decision? Reality seemed unreal to her as her mind ran over scenes from the past week, searching for something, anything, that would hint about his departure. Nothing seemed out of place, he hadn't acted strange at all. In fact, the person that had acted so strangely most likely would have been her. So _why _was he _leaving_?

"…Kurama will be watching over you after my absence. I will be leaving after you arrive back home," he grumbled, stepping farther away from her warily. The scent of her tears made him uncomfortable, made him feel guilty. They were his fault, after all. He tainted whatever he came into contact to, and this time, he had allowed himself to become too close to something too precious. And before he screwed anything else up, the apparition silently left her there, tears falling down her face.

"…Why…?"

* * *

Eri hurriedly wrapped a towel around her dripping wet hair, slipping into a pair of shorts before heading towards the incessant knocking on their hotel room door. "I'm coming!" Yuka had stayed behind in the hot tub, deciding to stay just a moment longer to continue talking with a college student who was majoring in zoology. So she had taken a long hot shower to rid herself of that rather pungent smell of chlorine. "I said I was coming…!" The girl yanked open the door, blinking at the familiar face she saw looking up at her. "Kagome…?"

"Eri…" the miko murmured. The edges of her eyes were a deep pink and tears flowed freely down her cheeks, dripping down onto the towel wrapped around her shivering frame.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" Eri demanded, tugging her friend within the door. Kagome never cried around her, not unless it was something extremely upsetting. What could have possibly gotten her so anxious that she was shaking? "What happened?"

"Hi…Hiei…Hiei's leaving!" the blue eyed girl sobbed. Her arms wound around her small frame as if to ward off an enemy. Eri gently led her to sit on the soft bed, pulling the bed sheet around her to keep her warm and comfortable.

"What do you mean, he's leaving?" she questioned, a puzzled look on her face. "Like, he's leaving tonight and you're scared to be alone, or do you mean…"

"He's leaving forever!" Kagome cried, trying desperately to wipe the liquid from her eyes. "He… He's moving… to another town… really…really far away… and he… I won't be able…able to see him…ever again…!"

"Oh, Kagome…" Eri murmured soothingly, putting an arm around her shoulders. That was just awful. The poor girl seemed to really, really love the strange man, and he was moving far enough away that they had no real chance to interact. "Have you tried talking him out of it?"

The girl shook her head frantically, a hiccup escaping her throat. "No… he won't… he won't listen to me…" It was silent for a moment as Eri chewed her lip in thought.

"Listen… Kagome," she began hesitantly. "I know that you love Hiei kun." The girl stiffened next to her, but did not deny the observation. "You act differently with him then with Inuyasha. He seems to make you… happy. Really happy. And I don't want your happiness to disappear with him. You need to tell him how you feel, before it's too late. And who knows, maybe once you tell him, he'll change his mind. Ok?"

The girl shook her head again, her breathing ragged. "I can't… I can't tell him!" Kagome sputtered, looking at her through blurred eyes. "What if he… what if he… laughs… at me…?"

"Hiei kun would _not_ laugh at you," Eri asserted, rolling her eyes. "Even _I _know that he's not _that _mean. He's just rather… quiet, is all."

Kagome was quiet, muddling through her thoughts like a fog. "Do you think…it's worth it…?" she questioned quietly. At least now her shaking had stopped, and her breathing was smoothing out, although slowly.

"I _know _it is," her friend encouraged. "If you don't tell him, you'll never get the chance again and you'll always regret it. Always."

* * *

_He'd never tell you  
But he can play guitar  
I think he can see through everything but my heart  
First thought when I wake up is  
My God, he's beautiful  
So I put on my make-up  
And pray for a miracle  
_

It poured for days after that. The ground became so saturated with water that it would suck in any unsuspecting foot into its depths, which could only be freed with much pulling and cursing. So it was with only slight resistance that the fire demon retreated indoors to Genkai's temple, spending most of his time within the room that was set aside for him when he deemed it necessary. He spent most of his day either sitting quietly in the corner of the room, watching his sister, or sitting on a window sill to glare out at the offending liquid that refused to quit falling from the sky's.

While he had all this free time he found his thoughts often drifting towards the one woman he wanted the most to forget. The things he remembered the most were her dazzling smiles, her sparkling eyes as she laughed, and her sweet voice. And then the memory of her tear stained face would intrude upon his mind's eye, and he would retreat to the dojo for a few hours of training to rid himself of such depressing thoughts.

The onna would be better off without him that was for sure. She would be better protected by the fox, and this way no demon would use her against him. This way she would not be tainted by his presence.

After five days of incessant rain, the apparition found himself still stuck inside the house. After a few hours he wandered into the kitchen, quietly conversing with his sister and the fox, who had shown up because of the weekend.

"How has Kagome chan been?" the Koorime questioned, snatching a quick look at the fire apparition.

"She's doing well," the avatar answered. Hiei easily noticed the irritated look he was given, but ignored it in favor of glancing out the window. "Studying for the latest test, as usual. I had planned to help her study today, but she insisted I spend the day 'off duty'."

"I was hoping she would come by soon," the ice maiden admitted. "I do so want to talk with her. We haven't gotten to speak with one another for such a long time."

"I'm sure she'll visit soon," Kurama assured her with a grin. "You never can keep Kagome away from her friends for very long."

"She is very considerate," Yukina agreed. They both took another peek at the fire apparition before continuing their conversation. "You're sure everything's all right? Kazuma kun was telling me just the other day that she had been… rather upset."

"Yes, well, she was down in the dumps, if you will, for a few days," the avatar explained. He shifted in his seat so that his foot tapped against the apparition's leg, not enough to hurt, but to catch his wandering attention. "It took both the persuading of myself and her family to convince her to get out of bed for school for a few days."

"Hn. The onna will get over it soon enough," the fire demon growled, shooting the fox a nasty look. He did not want them playing this game; trying to make him feel guilty so that he would visit the despairing woman. The only thing that surprised him was that his sister was actively participating in the charade. "She is strong."

"Let us get to the point then," Kurama said bluntly, his eyes flashing golden under the pale light. "We both know very well that you purposely left Kagome alone for your own selfish reasons."

"I left for her own sake," Hiei snarled, carefully controlling to whip out his katana. He did not want to frighten his sister, but he would not stand for the fox's lip.

"Whatever you believe," he said flippantly. "It may seem to you that you're 'helping' her, even 'saving' her, but what you are doing is hurting her. Hurting her so badly that Inuyasha was going to search after you, and only stopped from doing so because Kagome found comfort with his presence." The apparition felt a surge of anger inside him. He had never liked the hanyou, both because of his weak strength and his treatment of the onna. The fact that she found comfort in the arms of someone she had previously loved almost made him see red. But he pushed his anger to the side, trying harder than anything to look nonplused.

"It is for the best," he gritted, clenching his fist under the table. The avatar seemed to notice his rigid posture and grinned almost savagely.

"You do realize," he began, allowing a lazy, confident gleam to enter his eyes, "that since you have left her side, she is free game. Kagome is not adverse to mine or Inuyasha's presence. I'd say she rather enjoys our company. Who do you think she'll choose next, Hiei?"

"You dare touch her and you will find your life in the palm of my hand," the fire demon grunted a glint hardening in his eyes. "And I will not be generous with it."

"Then why do you not just go claim the girl?" Kurama questioned, almost curiously. "We have all noticed the fondness with which you regard her. What is stopping you from taking what you want, as you have always done?"

"It is none of your concern, fox," he snapped, his anger flailing against his will. How dare he suggest that… that Kagome would spread her attention to him so flippantly! She was not like those other human women who had more partners then one could count on one hand. She was much too pure for that. He reigned in his anger yet again, striding towards the door that would lead him outside. It no longer mattered if he would be soaking wet; he just wanted out of the accursed place.

"Freeze!" And indeed he did freeze, as much because of the voice that rang through the room. His ears strained to catch the small, hesitant footsteps of her approach, gritting his teeth in anger. The other two occupants of the room fled, whispering excitedly to themselves. So, it had been a set up. They had distracted him with his anger while the onna had snuck into the temple, waiting for her chance to use those damnable words. For a moment he felt a sort of kinship with the hanyou, for being unable to control their every movement when the woman felt the need to lash out the spell's word of subjugation.

He was pulled back to reality as she entered his field of vision, leaning against the wall with a curious tilt to her head. It took him a moment to realize that her form was shaking slightly, the breath escaping her in short little puffs. Her normally sapphire blue eyes were now a stormy blue, such a dark color that he had never seen in her eyes. Little droplets of water fell from her hair, soaking the grey jacket that covered her shoulders.

"…Release me, onna," he growled lowly, his lips twitching in a frown. He most definitely did not like being unable to command his own body. "Now."

The woman seemed to ignore him, deciding instead to take a step closer. Her hand reached out to rest on his arm, lingering there for a moment as she looked up into his eyes. "…Why don't you finish what you were saying?" she questioned quietly.

"Hn. Are you hard of hearing, onna?" he demanded, cursing himself for having to do this. He did not like upsetting her, damn it! "I told you to release me."

"Its effects do not wear off until the spell is complete. I can do nothing to stop it," she dismissed, frowning at his cruel tone. Her hand tightened around his bicep, causing his stomach to flip under the strange gesture. She had never been so bold as to outright touch him in such an intimate way. "Have I done something to upset you, Hiei? Have I said something to make you feel uncomfortable? Are you tired of having to watch such a pathetic human constantly? Am I not good enough for you to spend time with? Am I not…!"

"It is nothing to do with you," he interrupted suddenly, unable to help himself. He had not wanted her to think it was her fault that he had left. There was no way he would allow her to lower her self esteem. He had seen her do so too many times with the hanyou. His body remained rigid, even though he found he could now move his fingers.

"Freeze." Damn. Apparently the onna _had_ noticed. "What are you so afraid to tell me, Hiei?" she demanded softly. Her hand reached up to lightly play with his hair, causing him to growl in frustration. The woman really had to stop touching him, or else he'd do something he would regret later. "Why won't you tell me?"

"It is none of your concern," the fire demon gritted, turning the full force of his glare upon her small form.

"But it is," Kagome murmured, taking a hesitant step forward. The apparition eyed her warily, not likely the sudden change in her demeanor. There was a strange glint in her eyes, as if she was hiding something from him. He did not like that. The girl took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a brief moment before looking straight into his eyes. "It _is _my concern…because I… I care for you, Hiei…" Her fingers trembled on his arm as she bent forward, resting her forehead against his shoulder so that he could not see her tear stained face. "…I love you…"

The apparition felt as if someone had punched the air from his lungs. Had he heard incorrectly? Looking down at the top of her head, as her tears soaked into his shirt, he realized that he had not. How could such a pure, incredible woman come to love him, a murderous demon? All along he had ignored his emotions to protect her, but it seemed the gods had had a different plan for them. As his bewilderment slowly disintegrated, the fire demon felt a surge of emotion swell in his chest. If she could love him, perhaps it was not such a bad thing as he had thought. Why couldn't he have her as his own, if she willingly accepted his troubled past?

It took a moment for the spell to wear off, and when it did, he pulled her tight against his body, murmuring low in her ear. "I won't leave… I won't ever leave you again, onna…" And her tears flowed anew as she sobbed against his chest, clutching at him as if he would bind her to the Earth.

"Hiei…" she whispered, loosening her grip upon him to look up at him with teary eyes. "Does… that mean…?" He took her chin gently in his hand, his lips hovering over hers.

"I love you."

* * *

_Yes, I could tell you  
His favorite color's green  
And he loves to argue  
Oh, and it kills me  
His sister's beautiful  
He has his father's eyes  
And if you ask me if I love him...  
if you ask me if I love him...  
I'd lie_

"Kagome!" Eri sprinted down the hallway. She stopped at a desk, where a woman in a white labcoat sat blinking up at her in surprise. "Kagome, where's her room?" she demanded, more then a little out of breath. The nurse pursed her lips, looking at a pile of papers on the edge of the table.

"Down the hall, fifth door on your right..." the woman murmured, watching in curious amazement as the younger girl sped off down the hallway. Eri came to a halt in front of the door she had been looking for, straightening her clothes and disheveled hair while trying to hide the colorful bag behind her back. She rapped smartly upon the wooden door, listening closely.

"Come in."

The girl opened the door with a grin, her eyes adjusting to the dim light. "Kagome chan...?" A few more seconds later she could make out the silhouette of her best friend laying upon the crisp, clean hospital bed, her 'shadow' (as she had nicknamed him) sitting by her side.

"Eri!" The raven haired beauty exclaimed, a bright smile lighting up her face. "I'm so glad you could come!"

"Your mother called me as soon as she knew," her friend said sheepishly. "She'll be here soon, too. Traffic, you know." Looking around, she frowned. "Well, where is he at?"

"Right here," Kagome chuckled, pulling the blankets back a bit for her to see. Eri excitedly scrambled over to her friend, gently placing her gift upon the floor so it wouldn't get smushed. A small bundle looked up at her, blue eyes blinking at the unfamiliar face. His small face was topped off with a small burst of black hair that already stook up in a manner similar to his fathers.

"He's beautiful!" Eri exclaimed, holding out a finger for him to latch onto. The baby eyed her almost warily, before yawning and looking away, effectively ignoring her presence. "Just like Hiei kun, ne?" The fire demon said nothing to the comment, only leaning forward to get a better look. "What are you going to name him?"

"...Yoichi. Yoichi Momaru Jaganshi," Kagome answered softly, a pleased smile lighting up her face as her son giggled at something his father had done. Looking up at her mate, she couldn't help but brush a kiss against his cheek. "I love you."

* * *

**Hope you all liked it! (If there are some inconsistant typing styles, it's not my fault. Tried fixing it, but the edit document wasn't working/cooperating with me) **


	2. Chapter 2

**Second installment of my one-shot stories. I actually wrote this story for my creative writing class, and twisted it around afterwords to make a rather entertaining YuYuXInu fic. Thanks for stopping by and I hope you enjoy. Review.**

**HieiXKagome**

**Summary: Who ever said that all knights were a girls prince charming? Furthermore, who ever said princesses were innocent maidens who needed to be saved? **

* * *

The knight clopped along the dirt trail on his teed, shifting uncomfortably upon the weather beaten sadde. He was a tall, slim man, who wore silver armor that sparkled in the sunlight that streamed through the cover of the trees. Over his battle equipment the knight wore a flittering sapphire cloak that settled heavily on his shoulders.

A passing traveler might think the knight a glorius, refined figure, until he saw the pathetically small animal he rode. It looked similar to how a cow would look if riding upon a human. The man paused and burst into a long stream of grumbles, his second time that day. He scowled down at the long, pointy ears of the beast he rode, muttering angrily.

"What a glorious picture I'll look, galloping in the save the day-on an ass!" The man continued to bemoan his plight, all the while brushing back his brown locks from his equally brown eyes. "Why couldn't father have just let me borrow his horse, instead of this mongrel? The princess will take one look at me and fall into tears she'll laugh so hard! Oh, why me?" The animal beneath his bulk let out a snicker, and teh man flicked its ear impatiently. "Oh yes, all fun and games for you, isn't it? Go ahead, have a good laugh, but don't come crying to me when you're sold for mince meat."

The mule rolled its eyes and began the laborious taks of carrying the whining man up the hill, its breath coming loud and fast. As they came over the crest of the hill the trees abruptly ended, and the man sucked in a nervous breath. Before them sat a gigantic, decrepit castle. Mortar and stone was crumbling into the meadows around it, collecting into large mounds of gray. Its spires pierced high into the sky, almost touching the clouds themselves.

"Well, this is a dump. Mayhap the Lady will not turn down my offer." As he spoke he looked down at his steed, patting his head absentmindedly. "After all, our castle isn't falling apart. It's a wonder she hasn't fallen pray to pneumonia, at this rate!" he said, clearing his throat. "Come, Geoffrey, let us find this Princess and be rid of this horrid place."

Snickering in agreement, the beast waddled towards the building. As they neared the large structure, the knight noticed a figure waving from a tower nearby. Squinting, he stood up in the stirrups, much to the annoyance of the beast.

"Ah ha! Geoffrey, it's show time! Let's show this beauty what her future husband is like, eh?" The tall man cleared his throat, stepping off the mule with a flourish of his glittering cape. "My Lady!" he cried, blushing as his voice momentarily cracked. Trying again, he added, "Princess! I am Akitoki Hojo, son and heir of Hiro Hojo. I have come to rescue you from this desolate prison!"

The woman shouted down at him, but from the distance he could only hear sections of her sentence. "...come up...dragon's...dead!"

"Geoffrey, we're in luck! It seems the dragon is already dead! What an easy job this has turned out to be," the knight clucked, pulling on his beast's reins. Turning to the figure leaning from the window, he shouted, "I'll be right up, beautiful maiden!" There came more shouting from the woman, be he tuned it out, knowing it had to be cries of joy and adoration. He was rather handsome, after all.

He led the way up the tumbling stairway, scruncing his nose up at the cobwebs and dust that had accumulated in the castle over the years. "She had nothing else to do; you'd think she'd at least do a bit of cleaning, eh Geoffrey?" The mule nickered in agreement, ears pressed flat against its head.

The knight was beginning to ascend the steps up to the third floor when Geoffrey suddenly halted, ears swiveling around nervously. Akitoki looked up the stairs, visions of lovely maidens passing by his eyes, and impatiently yanked upon the reins.

"Come, Geoffrey. The Princess must not be delayed! We need a good first impression for my futre bride, you know. Punctuality is the key!" Geoffrey burst away from his grip, his bays echoing in the abandoned castle as he fled back down the stairs. "Geoffrey! Get back here at once, or I'll have father...!"

Akitoki's sentence faded off into a squeak as a large tremor shoved him to his knees. He struggled to pull out his shining blade, cursing as it stuck in its sheath. Looking around wildly, a trembling gasp escaped his lips.

There, on the steps leading to the third floor, sat a dragon. Its scales were the darkest coal he had ever seen, shining like opals in the light. The monster's serpentine bulk seemed scrunched up in the small entryway, one that had previously looked so large to him. But it was its eyes that caught one's attention. Underneath a large brow sat two crimson orbs that flickered like torchlight, and those frightening jewels were focused on him.

"D-dragon!" he could not help a tremor from invading his voice. "S-stand down vile b-beast, or face the wrath of my sword!" He again tried to pull his sword free, but the weapon would not budge.

The dragon opened its gigantic maw, large enough to swallow a ship whole, before letting loose a roar that shook the castle's very foundation. Sections of stone fell from the roof and walls, releasing a stream of dust that sent the knight into a coughing fit. Its claws raked deeply into the steps below it, sending a screeching noise reverberating through his ears.

"I...I forfeit!" the man cried, scrambling to his feet. "Keep her! No woman is worth my death!"

The monster watched as the small man-creature ran from his domain, a deep, content thrum rumbling through its chest. It released its grip upon the stone, flexing powerful muscles as it shook out its long body, much as a wet dog would.

"Is he gone?" He craned his neck to see the small, delicate figure that was peeking around a stonepillare against the wall. The Princess was a this, beautiful woman with long raven hair that fell to her lower back. She wore a slim fitting red dress that looked suspiciously similar to his crimson eyes, making her sapphire eyes stand out upon her porcelain skin.

" man-creature is gone." The monster's mouth did not move, but its voice echoed warmly in her mind. The woman stepped out from behind her hiding place, smoothing her skirts in the process.

"Thank goodness. Another man coming to 'rescue' me, and he's the most cowardly one yet! Even after I told him to leave, he had that look in his eyes-you know the one-like he thought he'd already become my betrothed! How I hate those kinds of men!" The beast's muscles twitched as she ran her hand along his sides, scales reflecting the beauty's face like a mirror.

She stepped back as his body was suddenly engulfed in flame, biting her lower lip anxiously as she waited. Moments later a figure stepped out from the ashes, wearing nothing more than a pair of black trousers that hung around his waist. The man was perhaps four inches taller than her, with gravity defying black hair that stood on end, and a pair of familiar crimson eyes. He yanked the young beauty into his arms, taking in a deep breath of the girls scent.

"He was simply weak."

"Unlike my strong dragon," she teased. The girl reached up and tugged upon a strand of his hair, frowning when he merely raised a brow at her. "We were interrupted when he showed up...!"

"Hn. And what is your point onna...?"

"Ka-go-me. And you can't just stop after...after doing that," the woman stammered, face flushing under his scrutiny. It was silent for a moment, and she opened her mouth to continue her complaints. Instead, the taller man swooped in to capture her lips in a searing kiss, leaving her gasping. He was not gentle with her, for it was not in his nature, claiming every section of her sweet mouth as his own. Kagome had decided long ago that she didn't mind, because his kisses had always left her numb with pleasure.

It wasn't long before the man lifted her into his arms, smirking down at the gasping woman in his arms. "We will not be interrupted again." And he began his ascent to the third story, kissing the girl senseless as they headed towards her rooms.

"Hiei...!" Kagome decided then and there, that she if this was what being imprisoned was like, she never wanted to be saved.

* * *

**Well, that's all folks. Please review, and give me your thoughts. -Master of all Perv's, out!**


	3. Chapter 3

**Third Installment. The song for this one is called Fields of Hope, from the anime Gundam Seed. I rather liked it, so I found an english translation and put it in this story. I'm rather surprised, and happy, that so many of you have already reviewed my second installment. Thank you for all of your compliments. I Hope you enjoy this next one as much as the last. I apologize in advance for any typo's or grammatical errors. They are caused by Nargles.**

**KagomeXYusuke**

* * *

**_"Song Lyrics"_**

_"Thoughts"_

* * *

**_"Beneath the veil of starry sky_**

**_As cold as winter's darkest night_**

**_It's there you sleep, silent and deep_**

**_You're all alone"_**

He rubbed his palms together, his breath ghosting across his flesh to bring prickles of heat back to his stinging hands. The grass crunched beneath him, the dew upon its tips still frozen from the nights cool temperature. Stars still poked through the dim morning light, quickly losing the battle as the rosy hue of morning broke through the darkness.

The boy wandered through the silent park, shoving his previously cold appendages into his leather jacket. On any other day, he'd normally still be at home, buried under mounds and mounds of blankets, fast asleep. But apparently the gods were against him, because after hours and hours of tossing and turning on his bed, he had finally given up and thrown on his coat for a morning walk to clear his mind. It could be because of the demonic blood clammoring within him for a fight, or simply the fact that he hadn't had any jobs from Koenma lately. Life had become rather dull and peaceful for the past few weeks. Until he received some sort of challenge, there would not be much resting.

He was just passing under a large evergreen when something stood out in the corner of his eye. Stopping, he blinked at a wooden park bench covered in graffiti. Or rather, what was _on_ the park bench. Laying in a fetal position along the much too small structure was a girl. She was in perhaps her early twenties, with pale skin, full red lips, and inky black hair. The girl wore a thigh length skirt, with a white blouse and a brown coat that was partially unbuttoned. Looking first at the pair of lacy pink panties that he could clearly see from this position, through no effort on his part, he raised a brow at the large, fluffy slippers she wore. It looked both utterly ridiculous, and strangely cute.

_"She'll get a cold, sleeping out here..."_ Moving softly, he pryed his eyes from her gorgeous legs to crouch next to her face, reaching out with his arm to gently shake her. "Oi...girly. This ain't the best spot to be taking a nap, 'specially not in your slippers." A cute frown crinkled across her forehead as she groaned, attempting to push his offending hand away. He couldn't help the smile that quirked the edges of his lips. "C'mon, nap time's over."

The girl finally pryed her eyes open, rubbing at them with a slender hand. He was surprised to see that they were rimmed red, eyes bloodshot, as if she'd been crying, but that didn't stop him from appreciating her eyes. They were the most pure blue he had ever seen. "Mmm...who're you?" her voice, though slurred with sleep, was undeniably adorable.

"I think you fell asleep," he grinned, sitting back on his heels. The girl spent a few more moments grumbling through her half dreamless state, before a small 'oh' escaped her and she bolted upright. She looked around sheepishly, a pink flush settling across her freckled face as she timidly pulled a strand of dark hair behind her ear.

"Oh...I really did fall asleep," she murmured. The girl tugged her pink hat farther down on her head, looking at him out of the corner of her eye. "I-I only meant to close my eyes for a moment..."

"So what's up with the pink fuzzy slippers?" he said, gesturing towards the ridiculous footwear.

That only made her blush intensify. "I...went out for a walk. I-I couldn't sleep," she admitted.

"Huh, same here. So, you live near here er somethin'?"

"Yes. At the shrine, just around the corner."

The girl blinked up at him as he suddenly stood, a lopsided grin stretching across his face. "Well, you'll get a cold, stayin' out here like that. C'mon."

"Um...excuse me...?"

He had turned so that his back was facing her, bending slightly at the knees and holding his arms out behind him. "Well, you can't go walkin' around in those things. You'll ruin 'em. So I'll carry 'ya there." If her face had been red before, by now it positively had to be the same shade as a tomato.

"No, I couldn't possibly ask you to...!"

"Nah, I offered," he interrupted. "Now, 'ya gonna hop on er what?" Noticing her hesitation, he added, "C'mon, you wouldn't wanna go and make me all teary eyed because you turned down my offer, would 'ya?" Shaking her head, she slowly stood to her feet. Hooking first one arm, then the other around his neck, she grumbled something incoherent before he suddenly gripped the back of her legs and bounced off, laughing at the squeak she made.

"Aren't I heavy for you to carry...?"

"Nope. Believe me, I can carry a lot more than this. You're like a feather, compared to some of the stuff I can lift," he grinned, slowing his trot down to a comfortable walk. "Name's Yusuke, by the way. Yusuke Uremeshi."

"I'm Kagome. Kagome Higurashi."

"Oi, that's the shrine you live at? I walk by it on my way to work everyday."

"Really? Strange that we've never seen each other, then."

"So, you like a priestess er somethin'?"

He could feel her breath against his neck, warm and strangely comforting. "Something like that..." she muttered. He could almost hear something like bitterness seep into her voice at her answer, but shrugged it off for another time.

It was quiet as he trudged through the bare streets, the strange priestess with fuzzy pink slippers hanging loosely onto his back. A fog hung low in the city, drowning out the sounds of sleek cars and vendors setting up shop around the corner. After a few minutes he finally reached the bottom of the stairway that led into the Sunset Shrine, and he whistled as he looked up at the formidable peak. The concrete steps dissappeared into the fog, but he was positive they could rival Genkai's. "Well, up we go."

"Really, you don't have to..."

"I have nothing else to do. Humor me, will 'ya?" The girl quieted at his request, readjusting her hold upon his neck so that it wasn't so tight.

"Do you live near here, Yusuke kun?"

"A few blocks away, in the Momichi Apartments. Not real fancy, but it's comfortable. So, do you actually live on the shrine grounds?"

"Yes. Our house is seperate from the rest, but very close. Oh, there it is."

The boy squinted into the fog as his foot ascennded the last step, blinking as a large building suddenly came into view. In the fog he could only see the silhouette of a number of trees, disappearing into the gray mass of clouds. Not ten feet away from him was a small fountain where guests could cleanse their hands before entering, the spout a lifelike sculpture of a dragon. "Wow. You live in this place alone?"

"No. There's Mama, Gramps, and Souta, too. Oh, and we can't forget Buuyo." Yusuke only nodded, the names completely flying in one ear and out the next. He walked towards what looked like the entrence, crouching down to let the girl slip off his back. She seemed to suddenly become shy again, tugging at the hem of her skirt. "Thank you, Yusuke. I do believe you've saved my slippers from complete destruction."

Chuckling, he waved the comment aside. "No problem. I'm a guy, we're always on the look out for damsels in distress."

"Would you...would you like to come in for some tea or coffee? It's the least I could do, after you carried me all the way up here."

"Well..."

He blinked when her slender hands took his rough ones between hers, a pink flush settling across her face. "Please, Yusuke? I want to do something for you. I won't take no for an answer."

"When you put it like that...ok." When she turned that dazzling smile towards him, he knew he was hooked.

* * *

_**"I sing the prayer's**_

_**Soft melody**_

_**Across the lonely silent fields**_

_**A little light began to shine**_

_**It shines on and one"**_

Yusuke poked his head around a rather large tree, grumbling when his search still proved fruitless. "This place ain't _that_ big. You'd think it'd be easier to find her." He swatted away a stray tree branch, trudging further into the forest. Spring was just ending and the flora around him was practically shining with life, so green that it almost hurt his eyes. Unlike Genkai's temple, the Higurashi shrine's forest did not hold demonic entities. It's surrounding forest was full of wildlife, bursting with the song's of birds and whatever other animals lived here.

He was just beginning to head back, giving up on his search, when he heard something whispering in the wind. It was not the sound of those annoying birds, nor was it any sort of noise he'd heard from any bugs he knew, and so he stopped and closed his eyes. It sounded like...singing. Turning towards the noise he trekked farther and farther in, grumbling about the bugs that flew in his face and priestesses that couldn't find a normal spot, like a porch chair, to relax.

As he came closer to the source of the sound, he began to make sense of the wavering song. "Inori no uta goe...sabishii nohara wo..." It took only a few more steps before he burst upon a small clearing, blinking in the sudden sunshine. The field was covered in purple wildflowers and long, knee lenght grass. And there, in the middle, cushioned by the green turf, was Kagome. She was wearing a white sundress that reached her knees, her sandals laying beside her, completely forgotten. Her white hat with the pink bow was crummpled beneath her head, her black hair fanning out around her. He stopped where he was, watching her. Her eyes were closed, a small smile playing at her lips as she quietly sang that strange music. "Chiisana, hikari ga...terashiteta..."

The boy tilted his head, a questioning shine to his eyes. The song wasn't necessarily sad, but it brought goosebumps across his flesh. "I know you're there, Yusuke..." He jumped at the sound of her voice, rubbing the back of his head sheepishly.

"That loud, am I?"

"Something like that." He was really beggining to dislike those words. It was as if the girl knew more than she was letting along, never lying, but never telling the truth either. Ignoring it for now, he plopped down next to her on the long grass, blowing a rather annoying strand from his face.

"What're 'ya doin' out here, anyway? Isn't this a long way to be going for a nap? I won't always be around to carry you home after you've fallen asleep, 'ya know," he teased. He broke a cattail from the surrounding foliage, using the strand to tickle the girls nose. It was worth it when she giggled, that brilliant grin spreading across her face. God, how he loved that smile. It was so carefree, so pure, the only one who even came close was Yukina, and even then it paled in comparison.

"I just...wanted to be out in nature," she murmured.

"With all these bugs? You're nuts."

"It's nice," she objected, opening one sapphire orb to look at him, only to close it a moment later. "No sounds of trains, or cars...and it smells cleaner." He grudgingly had to give her that, although he found the city much more exciting, even if it did smell. "Plus...out here, you can pretend that nothing bad has ever happened."

Yusuke frowned at that, propping himself up with his elbow as he looked down at her. "And what kinda bad things do you wanna forget?" The girl fidgeted under his scrutiny, playing with the hem of her skirt. She only did that when she wasn't sure if she wanted to tell the truth or not. "Kagome?"

"We all have things we wish never happened," she whispered. Her eyes clenched shut, hands fisting at her side. "Things we wish we could do over again. Things we'd do differently if we only had the chance to go back."

Thinking back to all the times he'd screwed up, all the times he'd so horrendously fucked up others' lives because of his thick headedness, he had to agree. "Yea..."

"...So, if you think of it that way, nature's not all that bad, is it?"

"No, I guess it isn't."

* * *

**_"I watched you as you so peacefully dreamed_**

**_You laughed like a child_**

**_Happy and carefree_**

**_It's all familiar and yet so far_**

**_That's the future's promise for you and me"_**

"Yusuke?" her voice was unusually quiet in the large apartment. He steps were equally so, echoing on the smooth wooden floor. She fiddled with the strap of her purse, a pair of keys jangling in her other hand. "Yusuke, are you here?" It wasn't that she wanted to intrude into his home, but he _had _given her a spare key in case of an emergency...although, this wasn't exactly what she would call an emergency, but he hadn't showed up at the cafe they were going to meet at for lunch. She had waited for half an hour before deciding to stop by his place, just to be sure he was ok.

The miko shuffled farther into the apartment, looking around curiously. To her right was a small kitchen, it's counters immaculately clean. She suspected it was only because he didn't know how to cook, rather than OCD. On her left was a small but homey living room, complete with a large T.V., a leather couch, and multiple video games scattered across the floor. Snooping farther in, she opened a door and raised a brow at what she saw.

Obviously a bedroom, it was possibly the dirtiest living space she had ever seen. Clothes were strewn everywhere, along with several styrofoam take out boxes and a variety of ramen packets. And in the corner, half beneath a large pile of blankets and half out, was Yusuke. His white undershirt was rumpled and stained, lifting up from his rather chiseled stomach and tangling around his left arm. His hair, normally slicked back with that green gel, was now free of the sticky substance, looking as soft and silky as her own. And to top off the entire scene, he was laying with his feet towards the headboard and his head near the foot board, mouth wide open as a rather monstrous snore sneaked past.

"Really, Yusuke, you're hopeless," she smiled, closing the door behind her. She carefully skirted a rather smelly pile of clothing, frowning when she thought she saw a splash of blood across some of the articles. "Yusuke...Yusuke, wake up. Yusuke!"

The boy jumped as she raised her voice, drooping eyes taking in the girl standing next to his bed. "The hell're you doin' here, K'gome?"

"Oh, I don't know Yusuke. I was just waiting at a certain cafe, where I was _supposed_ to meet a certain boy, but he never showed. It seems he overslept," she said, grinning as his eyes practically bugged out of his head. She watched in amusement as he scrambled through a pile of blankets, fumbling to reach his clock.

"Fuck."

"Language, Yusuke," she scolded. She leaned against the wall, watching as he securely wrapped a blanked around his waist. "Don't tell me you're naked under there."

"Actually..."

"Ew! I-I didn't think you were actually...! No, stay right there, I'll wait for you outside!" she squeaked, rushing out of the room.

A few minutes later a sheepish Yusuke came stumbling out of his room, tugging on a pair of white socks. "Sorry, Kagome. I got home so late last night, I must've forgotten to set my alarm..."

"It's alright...What were you doing out so late, anyway?" she questioned, peeping at him through her bangs. They slowly made their way out of his apartment, walking leisurely. It wasn't as if they had anything else to do on a sunday.

"Work," he muttered. He hated lying to her, but it couldn't be helped. In reality, he had fought off fifty or so boar demons that had been trying to cross the barrier, but how could he tell a human that? She would only laugh and think he was being stupid. Plus, binky breath wouldn't be too happy if another human found out about the existance of makai.

Kagome knew he was lying. He always had this strange tilt to his head whenever he lied, even if it was a small one, and he never looked her in the eyes when he did. But she refused to give in to the urge to question him. After all, she had lied to him, too. It wouldn't be fair to interrogate him and not give him the courtesy of being honest back. No, for now she would hold her tongue and hope it wasn't something too dangerous.

"So...I've got one question..."

"Yea...?" He shifted uncomfortably, preparing himself for the lie that he would likely have to spout.

"Do you really sleep naked...?"

He fell face first into the sidewalk, bursting out laughing.

* * *

_**"One day on a green and shiny morn'**_

_**One day we will finally make it through**_

_**Cause in this sky**_

_**So dark with winter**_

_**We still have to believe it's true**_

_**Fields of hope"**_

She stood frozen in place, eyes wide at the scene before her. Long, black hair that fell far below his waist, with tan skin that was covered in swirling tribal tatooes, and the unmistakable glint of fangs poking through his lips. "Yu...suke?" More than anything, she could feel the dark, opressing aura that he generated. It was so strong it nearly made her feel claustrophobic, something that only Sesshomaru had achieved before.

The boy stood helplessly before her, shoulders tense. The body of a slain demon lay on the ground behind him, staining the grass a crimson shade. It hadn't been his intention. He had never wanted to transform in front of her. It had been merely instinct to protect her when the rogue demon had burst in front of them in the park, and one thing had led to another until...he had no control over it. The beast inside of him had demanded to be released, to protect the precious woman with him. And it had won.

He was surprised when she took a cautious step foreward, and then another, and another, until she was standing right in front of him, yet the whole while he remained in place, afraid to scare her away. _"God's, please don't let her run. Don't let her be afraid of me. Please."_ He practically flinched as the shorter girl stood on her toes, looking him in the eyes as her hand traced a pattern across his shoulder.

"It really _is _you," she breathed, excitement lacing the edge of her voice. She had never expected this. Sometimes, when they were simply sitting next to one another, she had felt a whisper of power from him, but as soon as she would try to concentrate on it, it would dissappear. Never in her wildest dreams would she have thought he was a youkai. This was... "Perfect."

The boy blinked down at her, clearly confused. "Wha?" Had she really just said 'perfect'? No, no, that wasn't right. He must have demon scummer in his ears, for that was not something a normal girl would say in this situation.

"You're youkai." Her statement held no question to it, merely a fact. "A real youkai, here, in this era."

"K-kagome, you're not making any sense...aren't you, 'ya know, afraid?" He really was shocked when she suddenly threw her arms around his torso, the telltale smell of tears mingling in the air.

"Of course not. Yusuke is Yusuke," she murmured. "I-I thought I was alone..." He gently wrapped his arms around her, looking down with a frown on his face. Alone? What the hell was going on? Any other human would have screamed and run away by now. Clearly, Kagome was not so average as she seemed.

"Kagome...listen, Kagome," he said. "I don't understand...how do you know about youkai...? What do you mean by 'this era'?"

"I...I haven't told you something," she admitted, sniffling back her tears. "A really big something..."

"Tell me."

"Well...It all started with the well, on our shrine, when I turned 15..."

* * *

_**"A gentle touch**_

_**A loving brush**_

_**Those things I still search for**_

_**A prayer in **_

_**A melody**_

_**It goes on and on"**_

Yusuke looked down at the girl curled up next to him, a gentle smile spreading across his face. He brushed a strand of hair from her face, his fingers lingering on the side of her cheek. She always fell asleep before the movie ended, and he would always carry her home. It was becoming a rather cute ritual between them, one that he found rather enjoyable. It meant that he had an excuse to hold her close to him, and her voice was always so muddled and soft with sleep that he'd be forced to lean closer to understand her. The feeling of her breath against his ear was both exciting and torturous.

"...Kagome..." He gently shook her arm, grinning when she grumpled incomprehensively. "Kagome, you fell asleep again..."

"Mmm...five more minutes Mama..."

"Oi," he grunted, poking her side. "I don't even sound like a woman, so don't go callin' me 'mama'. You hear me, Kagome?" The hanyou was caught off gaurd as the woman next to him suddenly flung herself at him, wrapping her arms around his torso. She was now laying on top of him, mumbling against his chest. Gulping, he tried to pry her grip from his shirt. She didn't budge. Fuck. Now what was he supposed to do? Knowing her, if he did manage to wake her now, she'd be so embarrassed about their current position that she would refuse his offer of a piggy back ride, and that just was _not_ acceptable. So what to do? "I guess you can stay for a bit longer. Your mother never seems to worry when you're with me, anyway."

"Yu..suke..."

"Hmm?" He gently placed his arms around her, taking a deep breath. She smelled like strawberries. Damn, but he loved strawberries.

"Do you...like me?"

"Huh?" That was most certainly not what he had expected. Normally she murmured nonsense when she was half asleep, and he would simply agree with whatever she said until she drifted off to sleep again. And what did she mean by 'like'?

She stirred in his arms, drooping eyes looking up at him quizically. They were unusually dark, perhaps from the low lighting, perhaps from the fact that she wasn't quite awake yet. Either way, they looked too damn sexy for him to ignore. "Do you like me?" she repeated.

"Uh, Kagome, I have no idea what you're..."

"Do too," she slurred. She tightened her grip upon him, looking at the black shirt he was wearing rather than at his face. This was hard enough without looking at him. "Inuyasha...he never told me. And look how we turned out. So, I need to know. Do you...like me?"

The detectuve gulped, fidgeting beneath her. Well, what was he supposed to do now? It would be the perfect opportunity to make his move...the perfect time to let her know he liked her much more than he would a friend. But...the girl was half asleep. What if she really had no clue what she was doing? _That _would be a real disaster. Making a move on a girl who was half asleep and probably wasn't interested. Ah, damn it all to hell. He was never one to let things go the easy way, though.

So, lifting her chin with a gentle hand, he claimed her lips with his own.

* * *

**_"I sing the prayer's _**

**_Soft melody_**

**_One vanishes, one dies_**

**_And all in all_**

**_It starts again_**

**_A never ending cycle"_**

Kuwabara looked suspiciously between his best friend and the girl, propping his chin within the palm of his hand in thought. Something wasn't right here. The girl was actually..._smiling_ at the black haired man. She even-dare he say it-seemed to be _flirting _with the detective! And if the glint in his friend's eye was anything to go by, he was defiinitely enjoying the attention.

"So...you two going out er somethin?"

He was only partially surprised when the pretty raven haired girl blushed, suddenly fidgeting with the hem of her dress. Yusuke merely put his arm around her waist, sending a smug smirk towards the carrot top. "What do you think?"

"Yusuke..." the girl mumbled, fidgeting in his arms. "This is embarrassing...you didn't tell Kazuma...?"

"Nope," the man said. He released the squirming girl, sticking his tongue out at her growling face. "Well, he figured it out, didn't he?"

"I swear, sometimes you're worse than..."

"Nah, I'm not ugly," he quipped. He suddenly picked her up in his arms, throwing her over his shoulder and patting her rump with a laugh. "Plus, I'm more fun than he was."

"Uremeshi! Y-you can't just touch her like that...! It ain't decent!" the taller man protested, scrambling over to offer his assistance.

Once she was once again safe on the ground, Kagome scowled and fisted a section of his shirt in her fist, bringing his face down to her level. "You little...!"

"Aw, c'mon K'gome. You need to live a little. What's wrong with a little romp in the woods?" the boy teased, his eyes shining. In truth, he really just enjoyed flustering the little spitfire. It brought a fire to her eyes that sent shivers down his spine, and he loved seeing that little patch of pink slide across her face. It was irresistable.

"What's wrong with it? Y-you're making Kazuma feel very awkward, that's what!"

"Actually, I really don't mind..."

Her next tirade was cut off as his lips covered hers, and he smirked against her when she simply melted at his touch. This was by far his favorite way to shut her up. Simple, and oh so sweet. "...I win."

"Whaat!"

* * *

_**"One day on a green and shining morn'**_

_**Through all the long nights we've been fighting for**_

_**There lies a place**_

_**Far from disgrace**_

_**Where we won't have to hide from the world again"**_

Yusuke couldn't help the smirk that spread across his face. He lay on his newly cleaned bed, head propped up by the palm of his hand, as he looked down at the raven haired beauty that lay next to him. Although the girl was completely covered with his blanket, it was clear that beneath the thin fabric, she was wearing nothing other than her birthday suit. _"Just the way I like her." _It had taken him months to coax the shy girl into his bed, and last night he had finally convinced her to comply. It had been the most amazing sex he'd ever had.

The girl next to him grumbled in her sleep, burrowing closer to his warmth. He gently pulled the blanket over her until it reached just below her chin, grazing a soft kiss against her temple. He was more than ready for another go with his beautiful miko, but for now he was simply content to watch her. It had been her first time, after all, and it would take some time before she could have enough stamina to match him. Something he didn't mind teaching her about.

She looked so peaceful, laying there tangled in _his_ blankets, on _his_ bed, in _his_ apartment. _"Mine."_

"Mmm...Yusuke..." He snuggled back down into the warmth of the bed, wrapping his arms posssessively around her. The girl wriggled around until her head was pressed against his chest, a content sigh escaping her lips.

"Hey, sleeping beauty." He wiggled his eyebrows to add to the affect.

Kagome giggled at that, running her hand along his abdomen absentmindedly. "You know...A year ago, I never would have thought we'd be...here, like this."

"Hardcore sex addicts? Nope, I knew it would end up this way," he teased, playing with a strand of her hair. He wasn't at all surprised when she lightly smacked his arm. His miko was the violent sort, after all.

"You know what I mean."

"Hm. So, what's your point?"

The girl shrugged, sidling closet to him for the added warmth his body provided. "Its just...I don't know. I mean, out of all our friends, who would have predicted we'd end up together? What would have happened if I hadn't fallen asleep on that park bench?"

Yusuke tightened his arms around her, a low growl reverberating through his chest. "Doesn't matter. What matters is that we _did _find each other," he said, voice unusually gruff. Apparently the idea of being apart from the raven haired beauty upset him, though he wouldn't admit it.

"Mmm...I'm glad we did..." It was quiet for a moment as they simply enjoyed one anothers company, until the toushin suddenly began rummaging around the side of the bed. "Yusuke, what are you doing?" The tan man grumbled something too low for her to hear, before grinning as he found what he was looking for.

"Kagome..." He pulled out what looked like a white box, opening to reveal something she hadn't been expecting. "...Will you marry me?"

* * *

**_"Now there lies a deep love within my heart_**

**_A yearn to protect you and keep you warm_**

**_It's all familiar and yet so far_**

**_It's made for the peace of mind_**

**_Fields of hope"_**

"Calm down, Yusuke," Kurama chuckled, stopping the man from tugging yet again at his tie. The poor thing looked rumpled enough as it was without the toushin's added 'help'. "Abusing your tie will not make the procession move any faster."

"Aw, damn it all," the man cursed, gripping his hair in his right hand. His brown eyes scanned the crowd, taking in everything at once. Kagome's mother, her Grandfather, and Souta sat in the front row next to his own mother, who looked suspiciously tipsy already. Behind them sat a mixture of both youkai and ningen's, his friends and hers. Rose petals already decorated the white aisle that spilt down the middle of the room, looking especially lonely without anyone to walk down it. "When does this thing get going?"

"Nervous, detective?" Hiei, wearing his usual all black attire-because they had not been able to convince him to wear a tux-looked rather amused at his actions. "Perhaps you should run now, before the girl arrives."

"I ain't nervous," Yusuke snarled. "I just...wanna get this over with."

"That would be your demon blood talking," Kurama soothed, placing his hand on his friends shoulder. "Marriage is not a youkai custom. Your instincts want you to create a mating mark upon her before anyone else has a chance of taking her from you. It's perfectly natural to be antsy at a time like this."

"Not that anyone _could_ take her from me..."

His grumbling was cut short as the organ suddenly began to play, its mere presence causing the whole room to hush in anxiousness. They all stood as a figure in white appeared at the other end of the aisle, her sapphire eyes clearly visible even beneath the veil covering her face. In that moment his heart seemed to cease beating, frozen as he stared in awe at the beautiful woman who was slowly stalking towards him. He had never seen anything so beautiful before.

As she finally stopped before him, he couldn't help the ear to ear grin that appeared on his face. Taking her by the hand, he helped her up the small step leading to the dais, whispering for her ears alone, "You're beautiful."

He barely even heard a word the old preacher said. He was much too focused on the woman next to him. Soon, she would be his. His, forever and ever. Someone who would be there to smile at him every day, someone to hold and shelter within the width of his arms. Someon to love.

"...I love you, Kagome."

* * *

**_"Natsukashiku mada tooi_**

**_Yakusoku no nohara_**

**_Fields of hope_**

**_Fields of hope"_**

* * *

**That's all folks. Hope you liked it, and please, please review. Any and all suggestions are welcome. Also, if any of you know of any cute songs you'd think would go well with a story, feel free to tell me. I'm always in need of inspiration. Couple suggestions are also accepted, but remember, they are merely suggestions. Doesn't mean I'll necessarily do them. REVIEW!**

**-Master of all Perv's, out!**


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